But to some analysts, a rise in wealthier consumers shopping at budget retailers is a red flag.

That was my first assumption and concern as well.

I think the nebulous powers that be (wall street, corporations, federal government, media) have a vested interest in presenting this with as positive a light as possible. But as someone caught up in all this, my anecdotal experience is that things are much worse than any of those powers are letting on.

Walmart and Dollar General ARE the race to the bottom. That historically higher end, higher income families are increasingly spending more at these establishments is absolutely not a good sign. Obviously there are a lot of factors at play, but let’s cut the shit.

People making good money are moving out of high cost of living areas and trying to stretch their money. They’re moving to more remote areas where Amazon doesn’t have same day delivery and the most convenient shopping options are Walmart and Dollar General. These are families that have recognized that even the premium retailers and premium brands have cut back so much on value while increasing prices that they might as well shop at Walmart if they’re getting over priced junk. These are also families who were formerly earning six figure incomes but then suddenly the income earners are being laid off without warning or operating under constant threat of layoffs, so now they’re cutting back.

None of this is a good sign.